SMCC career 'a calling'

• Spouses Joe and Kathy Sandersen are retiring from the Catholic school this year after a combined 56 years of service.

Catholic education has been central to Joe and Kathy Sandersen's lives and teaching careers.

Combined, the couple has taught in Catholic schools for 68 years. Mr. Sandersen began his teaching duties at St. Mary Catholic Central High School in 1973. His wife began in 1993.

After decades in the classroom, the couple felt this school year was their last.

"We decided we would retire together. We thought about it for the last several years but decided this was it," Mr. Sandersen said from his classroom.

His wife, with a smile, added that they "no longer will be structured by bells."

Mr. Sandersen spent his 38 years at SMCC teaching math and served as dean of students for eight years. Besides teaching, he also enjoyed an illustrious coaching career at the school. During his 23 years as the varsity football head coach, Mr. Sandersen led the 1991 team to a Class B state championship. He finished as Class B state runner-up in 1984.

He retired from the coaching position in 1997 and has been inducted into the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame, the SMCC Athletic Hall of Fame and the St. Mary Central Catholic High School (Sandusky, Ohio) Athletic Hall of Fame.

Mr. Sandersen also received as many accolades for his teaching career, including National Society of High School Scholars Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction in 2011, the University of Toledo College of Engineering Outstanding Partner in Education in 2007, 2008 and 2010, and Eastern Michigan University Outstanding Mentor in 2007.

"I knew in fifth grade that I wanted to coach football, but back in the 1950s, you needed to be a teacher first. Back then, it was a rare exception if a non-teacher was hired as a coach. So I knew I had to study to be a teacher," he said.

His wife spent her 18-year career at the high school teaching theology. She also served as moderator for the National Honor Society and the Student Council, among other extracurricular school activities.

The couple, celebrating their 41st wedding anniversary this month, shared a teaching style for which both teachers became known among their students.

"Strict," Mrs. Sandersen said describing her style in the classroom.

Her husband's description went a little further: "Very strict and very disciplined."

Mrs. Sandersen explained the reason for her style.

"I had students coming from all different schools and religious backgrounds, so my job was to get them all on the same page with learning Catholic Christianity and the Old Testament," she said. "Not only did I want them to know all the same material, but also get them ready for the next level. That meant organization and proper study habits."

Mr. Sandersen followed the same rules in his classroom, where he taught all grade levels in math. Although he was stern, he was fair.

"I'm old school. My students still go to the chalkboard a lot," he said recently from his first-floor classroom after school. "We use graphic calculators, but I'm interested if you can explain how you got your answer and if you could demonstrate on how you came up with it. I'm not interested in pushing buttons (on a calculator), I'm interested if you can explain your answer to me."

His expectations for all of his students always have remained high.

"To be successful, students must pay attention to detail and remain dedicated to what they are doing and take time to finish a task correctly," he said.

His philosophies on teaching and coaching are intertwined.

"To be successful as a teacher or a coach, preparation is involved. As a coach, the keys are developing fundamentals and recognizing what your opponent might do. It's the same with math. You need a foundation of fundamentals to put to work to solve problems."

Besides teaching, the couple shares a similar background. They met in kindergarten and went to Catholic grade schools, high schools and colleges. Mr. Sandersen graduated from St. Mary Central Catholic High School, Sandusky, Ohio, then went on to St. Joseph's College, Rensselaer, Ind., where he earned a major in math and minor in economics. He completed his graduate work at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, and the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Ind. Before coming to SMCC, he began his teaching career in 1969 at two other school districts in Michigan.

Mrs. Sandersen also earned a diploma from St. Mary Central Catholic High School in Sandusky. She graduated from Edgecliff College (now Xavier University) in Cincinnati with a degree in psychology and education and a minor in theology. Before SMCC, she taught at St. Charles Catholic School, Newport.

For both, teaching at a Catholic school was a priority.

"We spent all of our education, starting from kindergarten, in Catholic education," she said. "So being at SMCC always felt like a calling, a vocation. Students attending Mass and reconciliation services and having prayer in class are integral, and that's what SMCC offers. The services and retreats are all special things that make this school unique."

Mr. Sandersen added that SMCC also is about tradition.

"Students who graduated have a certain pride for this school," he said. "It is their responsibility to maintain the qualities they learned here and incorporate them into their community and lives for the future students of SMCC."

The Sandersens are looking forward to their retirement years. Both share a love of history, especially the Civil War. Having visited every Civil War National Battlefield Park, they plan to revisit some of them in their free time as well as attend many events surrounding the 150th anniversary of the Civil War in the next four years.

The couple also plans to visit their two children and two grandchildren. Their daughter, Jennifer Fish, lives in Virginia with her husband, Michael, and their two daughters, Sydney and Lillianne. Their son, Joel, lives in Wisconsin with his wife, Rachel.

They are looking forward to their free time.

"It was just time," Mr. Sandersen said of their retirements. "It was great ... I wouldn't change a thing."

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